You've set the date and now the panic is setting in as to how expensive having a wedding can actually be.

You CAN have a beautiful wedding without straining the credit card.

Here are some ideas on how to make your special day memorable without breaking the bank.

Dress Dilemmas

Through the public media, we are under a constant barrage of images of various high profile celebrities in their haute couture gowns such as Vera Wang and Christian Lacroix.

You want to have a beautiful dress but it doesn't have to cost you a huge portion of your wedding budget. There is no better place to find a stunning classic dress than in an Outlet store. You want to keep your eye out for dress warehouses or outlet stores. You can very well find a designer dress for a fraction of the price.

Spending a good portion of your budget on a dress you're only going to wear once may sound romantic, but when you see it sitting in the closet collecting dust and you're wishing you had enough for a nice vacation, you'll wonder what exactly were you thinking!

Exclusivity is Excellent

If you find your budget constantly escalating with every guest you add to the list, then you should consider going exclusive. Aunt Rachel's cousin and your father's ex-business partner don't need to attend. It's your wedding not a conference.

By approaching the guest list in this manner, you can put more money into the more important things to you like the food and wine. You have to remember, you're not being "cheap", you're being "exclusive".

Venue Variety

More and more couples are straying away from the "standard banquet hall". You don't need to get married in the same place as Tom & Katie, but you can take a cue from the "concept".

Different is the new trend. Places to possibly check out include historical venues, public gardens, an art gallery or booking an Inn. Even getting married at your own home may not be out of the question. You may not have a 20 room mansion, but you just may have a friend or family member who has connections. The point is, most wedding halls will actually increase the price and coerce you to use their caterers. At that point you may be limited in the options to choose your own elements of the wedding.

With a little research "outside" the box, you may well find something perfect and affordable.